Mysterious 'Woman in Black' Walking Across U.S. Sparks Social Media Buzz

A woman wearing a flowing, black dress and mysteriously strolling along busy highways in parts of the U.S. Southeast and Midwest has the curious wondering who she is. She has been dubbed the "Woman in Black" by TV stations, police and followers on the Web. People have been posting pictures documenting sightings of her on a Facebook page titled “Where is the Mysterious Woman in Black?” and on Twitter with the hashtag #womaninblack. "We offered her food, water and a spot to rest and a little money to help her on her way...but she very politely declined," one Facebook user wrote.

Raymond Poles told Reuters he is the woman's brother, identifying her as Elizabeth Poles, 56, a U.S. Army veteran, mother of two and a widow from Motts, Alabama. Elizabeth Poles had been receiving treatment at Veterans Affairs hospitals to deal with the deaths of her husband in 2008 and her father in 2009, he said. "I wish she would come back and let us help her," he said.